Websites:

Biography:

QualificationsBA/MUS, Music OXONMSc, Cognitive Science and Natural Language, University of EdinburghPhD, Music Psychology, Co-supervised by Prof Rens Bod, University of Amsterdam & Dr Ian Cross, University of Cambridge

Research InterestsPhrase perceptionPerception of music in different population types:Perception of Music in Autism Spectrum DisordersAphasia and Music TherapyDementia and Music

Music making is often interactive and the range of types of music making is vast. I explore different aspects of music making, looking in particular at characteristics of interaction and effects of music listening.

I am currently exploring the extent to which music-makers share understanding of their playing and the extent to which audiences’ understanding overlaps with that of the players, the ways players co-adapt during playing, and the effect of different temporal characteristics on social perception. I have also previously examined temporal and dynamic characteristics of solo performance. I have a particular interest in applying theories, approaches and methods from music cognition to other fields and am currently working at Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy exploring interaction in music therapy sessions, as well as exploring the role of music therapy in dementia care, the history of music therapy research and approaches to assessment of music therapy.

My background is in music (BA/Mus, Faculty of Music, University of Oxford) and cognitive science (MSc in Cognitive Science and Natural Languages), and my research has previously explored the relationships between music theory, performance and perception. This work asked questions about the perception and production of ‘motive’ in classical piano performance. This research followed from my PhD project which explored the question: What contributes to the perception of musical phrases in western classical music?

I particularly enjoy working with students and I teach on the Nordoff Robbins MMT course and at the Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge.

Understanding music’s role in our lives demands knowledge of a huge range of disciplines and I am, therefore, keen to collaborate with groups and individuals working in related fields.

Key Publications

Spiro, N. and Schober, M.F. (2014). Perspectives on Music and Communication: An Introduction, Psychology of Music, 42(6), pp. 771-775. http://pom.sagepub.com/content/42/6/771.extract

Tsiris, G., Spiro, N., Pavlicevic, M. (2014). What does the past tell us? A content analysis of the first quarter century of the British Journal of Music Therapy, British Journal of Music Therapy 28(1), pp. 4-24.

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